by Angela Perez

A friend of mine who no longer drinks alcohol was recently gifted a bottle of non-alcoholic sparking wine, a gift from a celebrated North Carolina chef who also no longer drinks. The sparkling wine is Verdejo, Bodegas Familiares Matarromera, Good Twin, Ribera del Duero, Spain (alcohol-removed; .5% ABV).

If you want to find out the best non-alcoholic spirits on the market, listen to chefs who no longer drink. Many of them are embracing these beverages with passion and thoughtfulness. For many of us who deeply appreciate food and drink, part of our identity is bound up in wine, well-crafted liquors and beers, etc. And when we stop drinking alcohol, we often miss the nuances and complexity of alcohol-based drinks. But there are options out there for us. That’s one of the points of this blog, to find them.

As for giving these beverages as gifts, know the recipient. Depending on why they do not drink alcohol, they may be triggered by faux-spirits in an all-too-familiar bottle. I am not triggered and so would appreciate such a thoughtful gift.